While we’re here in Glencoe we decide on a hike, to see as much of this magical place as we can in the short time we have. “The Lost Valley” (it’s always in the last place you look) sounded far too intriguing to pass up, so we take Nettle down the road a little way to where it branches off from the main glen, and park — amidst hoards of other tourists out just to see the view from the car park, mercifully, as we are the only ones setting down the path to the Lost Valley.
Our path leads down into a wooded cleft that runs parallel with the valley, and across a bridge that straddles the stream that runs through it. Up the other side, we pass through a stand of young trees — a kind of silver birch, perhaps — with bronze-and-silver dappled trunks and delicate pale green leaves.
We emerge onto the rocky pathway that runs along the side of the steep-sided valley, and follow it upwards accompanied by the sound of the many cascades of the stream on the valley floor.
The valley floor rises to meet the path, which merges into an older watercourse, now dry boulders, colourful pebbles and patches of bluebells and moss.
We turn upwards and back along a higher path, running parallel to the valley.
Finally, we pick our way back across the floor of the glen and back to Nettle, eagerly anticipating returning next time to further explore this incredible part of the world.
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